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| Catoosa County Saves Historic Home CATOOSA COUNTY, GA – At about 1:30 PM, Monday, December 28, 2009, the Catoosa county fire Department was dispatched to 140 Guyler Street in downtown Ringgold, Georgia for a reported residential structure fire. With minutes Engine 1 arrived on the scene and confirmed a three story wood frame residential building with heavy fire through the roof. Car 809, Firefighter Marlin Thompson, arrived momentarily and took command. Recognizing the age of the building, the size of the building and its potential fire load, Thompson immediately ordered dispatch to sound a second alarm. The Engine 1 crew immediately began an aggressive interior attack, climbing the stairs to the third floor where they encountered heavy fire. They worked hard to knock down as much fire as possible as the Engine 1 engineer did some exterior work on the roof with the deck gun. Additional crews from Engine 61, Quint 3 and Ladder 1 arrived and assisted with interior operations. Further assistance arrived on Fort Oglethorpe Engine 8, East Ridge, Tennessee Engine 2. Catoosa County Tanker 11, and Engine 21 and crews rotated in and out of the structure. Firefighters from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GDC-9, were on the scene to assist with overhaul. Fort Oglethorpe Air/Light 1 provided air services and Angel EMS was on the scene in case of injury. The Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department backed an Engine Company into Catoosa County Station 1 for stand by. Mutual Aid 1 (MA-1) Public Safety Director Eddie Phillips was on the scene to provide mutual aid assistance. There were no reported injuries at the scene. The homeowners were not present when the fire broke out. Unconfirmed reports were that roofing work was being done on the historic house just prior to discovery of the fire. The majority of the fire was confined to the third floor and the majority of the roof was destroyed. There was a small amount of fire, smoke and water damage on the second floor of the home. The homeowner estimates the loss at about $400,000. The Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office was on the scene to conduct an investigation. The house was reportedly built in the 1870’s and is the third oldest house in the city of Ringgold. According to the homeowner it was undergoing the final stages of renovations. |
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